Annie

Question
My english bulldog cannot lift her tail or wag it. The vet says its a result of abnormal fusion of coccygeal vertebrae in a non-functional position and is congenital or developmental in nature. Is this common?? And what does this really mean


Answer
Your vet is absolutely correct. It is very common in the breed as many breeders find the tight tail "cute" regardless of the health risks and malformation issues.

It means that if you aren't vigilant about cleaning under this tight tail, your dog will undoubtedly develop absesses, which will never heal. This will necessitate amputation of the tail completely.  My vet has done several of these.

I much prefer a Bulldog with a loose tail or a tapered tail. You can see it wag and it's never a problem.